Comparative evaluation of chromium methionine chelate and Nano chromium in alleviating Zearalenone-Induced oxidative stress

Abstract

Zearalenone, a mycotoxin from Fusarium fungi found in contaminated feed, poses toxicity risks to livestock. The administration of antioxidant compounds has emerged as a potential approach for mitigating zearalenone-induced toxicity. This study evaluated the effectiveness of chromium-methionine chelate (Cr-Met) and nano-chromium (Nano-Cr) in alleviating zearalenone toxicity in mice. Forty male Balb/c mice were divided into four groups for a 30-day trial: control, zearalenone diet (10 mg/kg), zearalenone + Cr-Met (0.5 mg/kg), and zearalenone + Nano-Cr (0.5 mg/kg). Zearalenone exposure significantly impaired weight gain, feed intake, liver enzyme activity, serum redox potential, and jejunal morphology, while also inducing hepatic inflammation. However, both Cr-Met and Nano-Cr supplementation improved these parameters, with Cr-Met showing superior efficacy due to greater intestinal bioavailability. These results suggest Cr-Met as a promising dietary intervention to mitigate zearalenone-induced toxicity.